


Midnight dreams

by My_Evak_Heart



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Mention of past relationship, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:41:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25663030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Evak_Heart/pseuds/My_Evak_Heart
Summary: I may or may not have a prequel in the work for this fic...keep an eye out
Relationships: Sweet Pea (Riverdale)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	Midnight dreams

**Author's Note:**

> I may or may not have a prequel in the work for this fic...keep an eye out

Zeppelin woke up with tears flowing down her cheeks, dark lashes all wet and clumped together from her tears. She shifted and sat quietly in bed, trying to not make any noises as she cried, fearing of waking the boy next to her.

She closed her eyes shut, dark blond hair and a bandana flashed before her eyes and Zeppelin shut her eyes tighter, reluctantly trying to make the image of the boy from her past go away. Her painted fingernails clutched at the old duvet as she silently begging herself stop crying.

Despite her will to be quiet, there was motion next to her, the bed shifting as Sweet Pea grumbled, getting cozy on his pillow. He was about to fall back asleep when he made out muffled cries close to him and, by instincts, he sat up and forced his eyes open, saying nothing as he pulled Zeppelin against him, already knowing why she was crying.

It was _him_. Dorian Michaelson. Zeppelin and him used to date behind closed doors a couple years ago until things had turned sour during their little weekend escapade, costing the boy's life. The 'experience' had been traumatic for the raven haired girl, having been a front witness to the scene.

Rivers of tears and nightmares had followed suit for months - and years -, Zeppelin's grief having never fully healed.

It's been five years since his death, and the raven haired girl was still having bi-weekly nightmares about Dorian. Sometimes, they were _dreams_ too. Beautiful dreams she wished she didn't have to wake up from.

Whether it was a nightmare of a dream, Zeppelin never told Sweet Pea about them. It was a rule she made herself. She knew how much it hurt him to see her cry over a boy who isn't there anymore, a boy who she wished were there instead.

Engaging herself into a new relationship had been difficult. Getting with someone else meant saying goodbye to Dorian and moving on. It took Zeppelin a _long_ time to let anyone get close to her. Many Serpents had tried, but she all pushed them away.

Until Sweet Pea, which was unexpected given they had never been close before. To her, he was just Toni’s friend and a guy from her school. But, between looking out for her during his shift at the White Wyrm and walking her home after - orders from FP Jones -, they grew closer and closer.

At first, FP didn’t approve of his daughter’s new boyfriend, but he realized that Sweet Pea was good for her and gave him a chance. Zeppelin was no longer hiding in her room all day and even began to smile a little which - was enough for FP.

Sweet Pea held her as she cried, trying to not let it show that it hurt him. Not only, he wished he could take her pain away, but it broke his heart to see her cry like that over a past lover while he's _there_ , loving her whole heartedly. He would _never_ make her feel bad for crying or demand her to stop, though. He was understanding and patient with her, knowing what it's like to lose a loved one, yet not quite.

‘'Sometimes, I wish _he_ were here with me,'' Zeppelin whispered when her cries had calmed down, her words honest, yet nonetheless hurtful.

Sweet Pea kissed the top of her head. ''I know.''

Cert, it made him sad to hear those words, confirming that if she had to choose, his girlfriend would go back to Dorian, but he appreciated her honesty. Just like when she told him she loved him. The love she felt for Sweet Pea was a different kind of love, one that was not quite like the love she felt for Dorian, but she still loved him. She was so grateful to have found someone like Sweet Pea.

‘’I’m sorry,’’ Zeppelin said, pulling away from her boyfriend and wiping the tears left on her face.

A frown creased on Sweet Pea’s forehead. ‘’What are you sorry about?’’

''For saying shit like that. For being a burden and waking you in the middle of the night. For making you putting up with me-''

''I'm not 'putting up with you' or whatever, Zeppelin. I'm not in a fucking _prison_ , I'm free to leave this relationship, but I stay with you because I love you. _All_ of you. The good and the bad. At your prettiest and at your worse,'' he said, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Zeppelin looked down, toying with the hem of her shirt as a stress management. ''I know I can be a lot to deal with. Especially with all the baggage I come with.''

''We _all_ have baggage. Even I!'’ Sweet Pea countered. ‘’Don't go and assume my life has been perfect and easy from the start. Far from. I come from the same trailer park as you, it's almost impossible to not have baggage.''

Sometimes, Zeppelin would get so caught up in her own past and trauma that she forget that Sweet Pea hasn't had an easy life. From his father leaving for the army and never coming back, to his mom skipping town overnight and leaving him to fend for himself at fourteen years old, he had to learn to survive on his own pretty early. Lucky for him, he found a new family alongside Fangs and Toni - and, later on, the Serpents.

‘’ _Your_ baggage isn't disrupting our relationship like mine is...''

''We don't cope or process things the same way or at the same pace - and that’s _okay_. Whether it takes longer or not, it doesn’t make your pace of coping less valid. It does make me sad to see you sad, but your grieving pace won’t make me love you less - even if it takes _years_. I’m still gonna hold you as you cry and be there for you tonight...and tomorrow....and next week...and next year and so on.’’ Sweet Pea paused, running a hand through his messy bed hair. ‘’I know I’m not number one in your heart and I can live with that. I’m not gonna love you less. If anything, I’m gonna love you more because, after everything you’ve gone through, you deserve more love than anyone on this earth.’’

Tears filled the raven haired girl’s eyes, but, this time, it wasn’t from sadness. Instead of saying anything, Zeppelin used her knees to get some leverage and kissed him, soft and slow. She tied her arms behind his neck as his came on her hip and jaw, making the kiss last longer.

Despite claiming to being bad with words, Sweet Pea somehow always knew what to say, how to successfully guide her out of a PTSD episode. It wasn't always easy and he didn't always get it right the first times, but he would figure it out and make Zeppelin's tears come to an end.

‘’Do you think you can go back to sleep now?’’ Sweet Pea asked after parting, smoothing a hand down her back.

She nodded. ‘’If you hold me.’’

With one last kiss, Sweet Pea guided her down with him on the bed, pulling the blankets over Zeppelin’s back as she cuddled into his chest, falling asleep his steady breathing and heartbeat.

''I love you, Sweet Pea,’’ Zeppelin quietly said into the darkness. ‘’I really do. I don't want you to doubt my feelings for you because of things I say about Dorian. Just because I can’t love you the way you want me to doesn’t mean I don’t love you.’’


End file.
